Henrique Gouveia e Melo has arrived at the campaign headquarters at the Corinthia Hotel in Lisbon. The candidate said he was “happy” with projections showing a fall in abstention. “Democracy always wins when turnout is high,” he told journalists.
"Democracy always wins when turnout is high": Gouveia e Melo arrives at campaign headquarters
Sunday, 18 January 2026RSS
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Context & Explainers
Turnout was very high in the immediate post‑revolution years (often above 80% in the mid‑1970s) but has trended downward to roughly half of eligible voters in recent national elections (about 48.6% in 2019 and roughly 51% in 2022). That recent level is below the typical EU median for national parliamentary turnout (often around 60–70%) and lower than countries like Germany (~76% in 2017) and the UK (~67% in 2019), so election outcomes can be shaped by smaller, more motivated groups — something expats should bear in mind if they register to vote.
